Ithaca child raises $1,200 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital by making bracelets

Courtesy Photo
Tilly Bowen, 5, from Ithaca, makes a bracelet with her bracelet maker. She has raised approximately $1,200 fro St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. by selling bracelets.

Courtesy Photo
The bracelets in packages with a note to be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

In the fight against childhood cancer, Tilly Bowen, 5, has found her way to help.

From Ithaca, the child has raised approximately $1,200 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. by selling bracelets she made herself. Approximately $400 in other donations brings the total to close to $1,600.

“It makes me feel happy to send money to St. Jude Hospital to be kind because I can send more money to help the kids who have cancer,” Tilly Bowen said.

Her mother Andrea and father Joe have encouraged their daughter’s efforts.

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“This is who she is. She’s always been this way. When things happen that are hard, we don’t shy away from it. She loves people a lot and this is her way of expressing that,” Andrea said.

The bracelets are made with up to four colors of thread, Tilly uses a machine to create the bracelets but her mother helps as well.

“I have to wrap and she spins the thread so it kind of makes this spiral effect on the bracelet,” Andrea said. “I wrap the thread around it and she spins it. When she’s done, I tie them off.”

Money raised from chores Tilly did around their home - approximately $30 - was donated back in September.

Then a video was made a by a friend showcasing Tilly’s bracelets went viral, according to Andrea.

Tilly has 400 bracelets ordered by local residents and from family in Canada and friends across the U.S. as well.

The family has a personal connection to a cancer dianosis.

Tilly’s grandmother (Andrea’s mother) was diagnosed with appendix cancer approximately a year-and-a-half ago and, according to Andrea, her condition is improving.

“They (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital) sent out mailings for fund raising and it has a picture of a child on it and what type of cancer they have. We kept getting them in the mail,” Andrea said. “(Tilly) kept asking what it was and we sat down and explained why we were getting them and what the hospital was about.”

Fundraiser mailing items had been sent because Joe had donated to the hospital before, Andrea said.

“She knows they’re sick and this money helps them. Everything you donate goes for these kids to get medicine and treatment and care that they may not get otherwise,” Andrea said. “This is her way, as a 5-year-old, to connect to her peers. As a kid to a kid, it’s impactful.”

The family have not yet sent the check from money raised so far but plans to do so within the next two weeks.

In addition, they want to take Tilly on a trip next spring to the hospital to give bracelets to children in person.

Those interested in ordering a bracelet can send an email to braceletsforstjude@gmail.com.